Is your new Toyota ready to tow?

February 11, 2014 By Spencer Siviglia

So you’ve got your new Toyota in Orlando waiting in the driveway and you’re ready to head out for the weekend, towing your gear behind you. Is your ride ready to handle a towing experience? Have you properly prepared both yourself and your vehicle to take on the extra weight? There are a lot of important considerations to think about before you hitch up a boat or trailer to the back of your car and hit the highway – luckily, our Orlando Toyota dealership is here to help you address all of them so you can safely, efficiently, and enjoyably get you and your gear from point A to point B!

Have you prepped yourself to tow in your new Toyota?

Before you even get behind the wheel of your new Toyota in Orlando, you need to be prepared to adjust your driving habits while towing! Here are some of our top tips for how to handle your vehicle when you’ve got a tow behind you:

Remember to leave plenty of room for your new Toyota. You’ll have more length behind you, so ensure when you change lanes and pass people that you’re allowing for all that extra room so you don’t collide with another driver.

Don’t slam on the brakes or gas! Smooth driving is the key when towing (and it’ll also help bump your fuel efficiency up a notch). Don’t forget to make sure that the item you’re towing – whether it’s a trailer or boat – has brake lights and preferably turn signals enabled so other drivers can keep track of your movements. You should also take things slower when towing – 55 mph is usually the maximum speed recommended.

Don’t forget that you need to take turns wider than you normally would when towing – you might want to practice in an empty parking lot before you head out and hit the highways. You’ll also need to leave more stopping distance than you normally would, since you’ll have more weight behind your Orlando Toyota.

Can your Orlando Toyota handle the weight?

Driving habits aren’t the only thing you’ll have to consider when you want to use your new Toyota to tow! You should also make sure that the tow hitch is properly attached (it needs to be attached to the frame, not to the body or bumper) and that it can handle the weight you’re going to be pulling. Here’s a breakdown:

A four-door sedan or crossover can usually tow up to 1,000 pounds without an issue.

An SUV can pull slightly heavier loads than a crossover or sedan, but they’re typically best used for lower weights.

If you’re going to be towing a lot of weight, then a truck that’s got a powerful engine under the hood is probably your best bet.

Want more information on how to tow and whether or not your new Toyota can handle the weight you’ve got in mind? Come on down to our Toyota dealership in Central Florida! We can help you figure it out, and we’ve got plenty of parts and accessories that can help you make the most of your towing experiences. Give us a shout at (888) 725-3520 today!